Lulu Bell and the Christmas Elf (5 page)

Make your own Christmas decorations and costumes with the help of Lulu and her artistic mum! Check with a parent or adult before you start any of these projects. They might be able to help you find the materials you need. And be sure to tell an adult before you use tricky tools such as scissors.

Paper Plate Decorations

These decorated Christmas shapes make lovely tree decorations or gift cards.

Materials

• paper plates
  
• pencil
  
• scissors
  
• hole puncher
  
• watercolour paint
  
• glue
  
• glitter, beads, silver stars, tinsel
  
• satin ribbon
  

Directions

• Draw an outline of an angel, butterfly, heart, bell or tree on each paper plate. The edge of the paper plate can create a pretty crinkled effect on part of the shapes, such as the angel wings and skirt.
  
• Use scissors to carefully cut out the shapes.
  
• With the hole puncher, make a hole in the top of each shape.
  
• Paint the shapes and then decorate them by gluing on beads, silver stars, glitter or tinsel.
  
• Allow the shapes to dry. Next, thread a piece of ribbon through the hole. Tie the ends of the ribbon together to make a loop for hanging your decoration.
  

Lulu and Rosie's Christmas Star Bunting

Materials

• cardboard
  
• scissors
  
• watercolour paint
  
• hole puncher
  
• jute string
  

Directions

• Draw a star on cardboard, and cut it out. Use it as a template to trace and cut out more stars.
  
• Paint the star shapes with watercolour paints. You could experiment with pale washes or streaky colouring.
  

• Allow the paint to dry. Then use the hole puncher to make two holes on opposite points of the star.
  
• Thread the stars onto your string and space them out evenly. The bunting can be hung above the front door, on the Christmas tree, across a window or on a wall.
  
• Painted stars can also be used as gift tags and cards, or individual decorations for the tree. Just put one hole in the top instead of two on the sides and add string.
  

Angel Costume

Materials

• white material or an old sheet
  
• scissors
  
• gold or silver tinsel
  
• cardboard
  
• stapler or glue
  
• glitter (optional)
  
• white ribbon or elastic
  
• ballet slippers (optional)
  

Directions

• Fold the material in half width-ways. When folded, the material needs to be long enough to cover the angel from shoulders to ankles. If the fabric is longer, carefully cut off the excess.
  
• Cut out a half circle at the fold to create a head hole. The sides can be sewn shut, or left open.
  
• Make a circlet from tinsel to fit around the angel's head. Knot the tinsel firmly and cut off any loose ends.
  

• Knot a length of tinsel around the child's waist to form a belt.
  
• Wings can be made by cutting two large wing shapes from cardboard and stapling or gluing them together. Decorate the wings with glitter or tinsel.
  
• To attach the wings, make two arm loops from white ribbon or elastic. Check that the angel can slip their arms through the loops before tying the loops off. Staple the loops to the wings.
  
• Angels can have bare feet or wear ballet slippers.
  

Easy Christmas Elf Costume

Materials

• green, red or stripy leggings or tights
  
• oversized green t-shirt (try getting a cheap one from an op shop)
  
• red Christmas elf hat (see the next activity)
  
• red scarf or strip of material
  
• gold bells to decorate (optional)
  

Note:
If the weather is cool, the elf could wear a long-sleeved red or green t-shirt underneath.

Directions

• Cut a zigzag across the bottom of the oversized green t-shirt.
  
• You can also cut zigzags around the sleeves, or cut off the sleeves to create a tunic shape.
  
• Tie the red scarf or strip of material around the elf's waist to create a sash.
  
• Gold bells can be sewn on the end of the hat or on the hem of the tunic for decoration.
  
• Elves can wear riding boots, felt slippers, ballet slippers or bare feet.
  

Elf Hat

Materials

• A3 paper to make a template
  
• pencil
  
• red or green fabric (felt is good for a stiff hat, or you can cut up old t-shirts or leggings to make a floppier hat.)
  
• bells or buttons to decorate (optional)
  
• contrasting coloured felt or fake fur to trim around base (optional)
  

Method

• Draw a hat shape on paper (approximately 25 centimetres across the base and 30 centimetres high).
  
• Use the paper template to trace and cut out two identical shapes from your fabric.
  
• Sew the two fabric pieces together by hand or on the sewing machine.
  
• Turn the hat inside out so that the seams are hidden inside.
  
• Fold up the brim to form a cuff around the bottom.
  
• Decorate your elf hat by sewing a bell onto the top.
  
• You can also sew a contrasting fabric onto the base. The contrasting brim can be cut into a scalloped or zigzagged shape to make it more decorative.
  
• Extra buttons or bells could also be added to the brim to make it unique.
  

Lots of families have special recipes they make every Christmas. Here are the Bell family's favourite Christmas recipes.

Ask an adult to help you in the kitchen, and make cooking fun for the whole family, like Lulu, Rosie and Gus do.

Choc-Chunk Shortbread

Ingredients

• 125 grams butter
  
• ¼ cup brown sugar
  
• ½ cup white sugar
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1 ¼ cups plain flour
  
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (bicarb)
  
• 100–150 grams milk chocolate bits
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
  
• Cream the butter and brown and white sugars with an electric mixer.
  

• Add in the beaten egg and mix well.
  
• Stir in the flour and bicarb soda.
  
• Gently fold in the chocolate bits until they are evenly mixed through the dough.
  
• Wrap the dough in plastic cling wrap and store in the fridge overnight (or for up to three days).
  
• Teaspoon even amounts of cold dough onto baking trays. Press down lightly into rounded biscuit shapes. (Or you could use biscuit cutter shapes such as hearts or stars.)
  
• Cook for 10–15 minutes until light golden brown.
  
• Cool on a wire rack. When cool, place shortbread biscuits in cellophane bags and tie with ribbon.
  
• Shortbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
  

Kerstkransjes
– Traditional Dutch Wreath Biscuits

These biscuits can be hung on the Christmas tree as edible decorations.

Ingredients

• grated zest of one lemon
  
• 160 grams butter
  
• ²
  /3 cup caster sugar
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 ½ cups plain flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

To decorate

• coloured ribbon
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• almond slivers, glacé cherries or melted chocolate
  

Directions

• Mix the lemon zest, butter, sugar and egg in a bowl.
  
• Add the baking powder and flour gradually.
  
• Knead the mixture into a dough. Wrap the dough with plastic cling wrap and place in the fridge for an hour or overnight.
  
• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
  
• Take the chilled dough and knead again on top of the cling wrap.
  
• With a rolling pin, roll the dough out flat until it's about five millimetres thick.
  
• Use a round or star-shaped biscuit cutter to cut out the dough. Poke a small hole through the middle of each biscuit. Place biscuits on baking tray.
  
• Brush the biscuits with the beaten egg and decorate with almond slivers or glacé cherries. If you want to drizzle the biscuits with melted chocolate, bake them plain and decorate them when cool.
  
• Bake for 10–15 minutes until light golden brown.
  
• Cool on a wire rack. When cool, thread and tie coloured ribbon through the hole in each biscuit.
  

Lemon Butter as made by Lulu and her mum

Ingredients

• 1 cup lemon juice
  
• 2 cups white sugar
  
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 250 grams butter (chopped into cubes to melt faster)
  

Directions

• Place ingredients in a small saucepan.
  
• Stir constantly over low heat until butter melts and ingredients mix. Keep stirring frequently for approximately 10 minutes or until mixture thickens.
  
• Pour into clean jars that have been sterilised in the dishwasher.
  

Lemon butter can be eaten on toast, muffins or scones. It can also be added to cakes or cupcakes. It keeps for about a month.

It is also great when cooked in a shortcake like this:

Shortcake base ingredients

• 125 grams butter
  
• 2 cups self-raising flour
  
• 1 cup caster sugar
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  

Shortcake base directions

• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease a cake or tart tin.
  
• In a medium-sized bowl, rub butter into flour and sugar. Mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  
• Make a well in the centre, and add eggs. Mix to form stiff dough.
  
• Press two-thirds of the mixture into the cake or tart tin.
  
• Pour hot lemon butter over the top, then crumble the remaining dough over the lemon filling.
  
• Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden.
  
• Cool in tin then dust with icing sugar before serving.
  

Chunky Home-Made Apple Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ lemon
  
• 6 Granny Smith apples
  
• ½ cup water
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  
• ground cinnamon and nutmeg
  

Directions

• Juice the lemon and finely zest the lemon skin.
  
• Peel and core the apples, then chop them into pieces.
  
• Place the apple pieces in a large saucepan with water and lemon juice.
  
• Bring to boil over medium heat.
  
• Allow to simmer, stirring frequently for 10–15 minutes until the apples are soft.
  
• Stir in sugar and lemon zest.
  
• Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg. Additional sugar can be added if you prefer a sweeter sauce.
  

Apple sauce is perfect served hot with Christmas roast pork. It can also be served cold with leftovers.

Bell Family Saturday Breakfast Omelette

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons milk
  
• 6 flat mushrooms
  
• red (Spanish) onion
  
• 250 grams feta cheese (or you could use grated cheddar or parmesan)
  
• approximately two teaspoons of fresh green herbs, e.g. chives, parsley, thyme or basil
  
• olive oil
  
• baby spinach leaves
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

• Preheat grill.
  
• Whisk eggs in a bowl with a splash of milk until well mixed and frothy.
  
• Slice up mushrooms and red onion. Chop feta into cubes. Snip fresh herbs.
  
• Fry mushrooms and onion in a splash of olive oil for about five minutes until cooked.
  
• Add feta and baby spinach leaves. Pour egg mixture over the top of the mixture. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top.
  
• Allow to cook on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes, until the base is set but the top is still runny.
  

• Put the omelette pan under the hot grill to cook the top half for approximately 5 minutes, or until light golden brown.
  
• Serve on toast.
  

Note:
You can also vary the recipe by adding chopped bacon, chopped tomato or sliced capsicum at the frying stage.

Dad's Famous Home-Made Burgers

Ingredients

Patties

• 1 kilogram beef or pork mince (or mixture of two)
  
• 1 onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
  
• fresh basil, snipped
  
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

To serve

• hamburger buns, bread rolls or Turkish bread
  
• sliced tomato
  
• sliced cheese
  
• pineapple slices (optional)
  
• beetroot slices (optional)
  
• iceberg lettuce, shredded
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, place mince, onion, whisked eggs, basil and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
  
• Mix ingredients together with clean hands.
  
• Shape mixture with your hands to create patties.
  
• Ask Mum or Dad to barbecue the patties until cooked. Top with a slice of cheese until slightly melted.
  
• Lightly warm or toast your bread.
  
• Serve meat patties on warm bread with your choice of salad. Lulu loves her burger with the works!